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As much as the game has changed, one constant in the NFL is the belief that great defense wins championships, and that is the major reason why the Seattle Seahawks will become the first team to win consecutive Super Bowl titles since the New England Patriots in 2004 and 2005. There is all of this hype about the NFL being a quarterback-driven league and how rule changes have helped offenses score more, but there is nothing like a mean, ornery, intimidating and suffocating defense. Pittsburgh had one in the 1970s, and Chicago had one in the mid 1980s. The Ravens produced a stellar one in 2000 followed by Tampa Bay two years later. Next up: The Seattle Seahawks. But it's not just...

Related "Cliff Avril" Articles

As much as the game has changed, one constant in the NFL is the belief that great defense wins championships, and that is the major reason why the Seattle Seahawks will become the first team to win consecutive Super Bowl titles since the New England...

The NFL offseason heats up on Tuesday when the free agency period begins and the NFL draft will take place next month. In anticipation of those events, blogger and reporter Matt Vensel will look at six key positions the Ravens might address in free agency...

The Ravens hope to meet with former Denver Broncos star defensive end Elvis Dumervil following the league meetings this week, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation.
No contract negotiations have begun, but the Ravens have...

In eager anticipation of the 2013 NFL season, Baltimore Sun blogger and reporter Matt Vensel will take a daily look at one of the 13 opponents on the Ravens’ regular-season schedule. Today is the Detroit Lions.
The Ravens will make their only...

Houston Texans defensive end turned outside linebacker Mario Williams will be the marquee free agent this offseason not named Peyton Manning. (Interesting side note: The Texans drafted Williams No. 1 overall in part due to Manning’s presence in the AFC...

The Cleveland Browns rank in the bottom half of the NFL in sacks with just 22, but they can’t fault the play of a pair of rookie defensive linemen.
Left defensive end Jabaal Sheard leads the defense with 4½ sacks, and his four forced fumbles are...

The Ravens are the only team to have made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons. That’s a credit to G.M. Ozzie Newsome, who has given coach John Harbaugh enough talent to mold this team into a contender.
As we close in on the 2012 NFL draft,...

There was a bit of caution in Marshal Yanda's optimism.Eight days after a mediocre showing in the preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons, the Ravens offensive line fared much better in the team's 27-12 loss to the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank...

There was a bit of caution in Marshal Yanda's optimism.Eight days after a mediocre showing in the preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons, the Ravens offensive line fared much better in the team's 27-12 loss to the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank...

There was a bit of caution in Marshal Yanda's optimism.Eight days after a mediocre showing in the preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons, the Ravens offensive line fared much better in the team's 27-12 loss to the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank...

The opening Russell Wilson saw on second-and-goal at the 1-yard-line during the final minute of Sunday's Super Bowl closed quicker than anyone could have imagined, instantly turning an offseason of celebration into one of soul-searching. Even while...

In the silence of the locker room, Byron Maxwell was already addressing the most important challenge Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks will face going forward. One play on Sunday night changed the story for the Seattle Seahawks. Instead of becoming...

Dan Quinn, who coached in Super Bowl XLIX as Seattle's defensive coordinator on Sunday, has agreed to a five-year contract to be the 16th head coach of the Atlanta Falcons on Monday. Quinn, who has mixture of college and pro coaching experience,...

GLENDALE, Ariz. If it was the most stunning win in Seattle history that got them to the Super Bowl, it's the most shocking loss in Seattle history that cost them the game. A yard away from a second straight Super Bowl title, Russell Wilson threw one...

The Seattle Seahawks were one yard away from their second consecutive Super Bowl victory.
One yard away from talks of dynasties and answering questions about whether they could do it a third time, but the only "one" that matters ...

It's one of the mottos of Pete Carroll's program. The word "Finish" is everywhere when it comes to the Seattle Seahawks, always with the idea of being the better team at the end of the game. For a change, Seattle's record-setting defense...

New UF coach Jim McElwain took one step closer to completing the Gators coaching staff on Monday.
The school announced McElwain would retain offensive line coach Mike Summers, who joined the Gators in 2014.
UF also confirmed several hires reported in...

Rex Ryan's sense of humor is still going strong.
Despite a 3-11 record and facing an uncertain future, the New York Jets coach has kept the one-liners and self-deprecating jokes coming. He refuses to pout, even if Sunday's game against the New England...

General manager Phil Emery entered free agency this week on a mission to find two starting defensive ends to fortify the Bears’ beleaguered front.
He completed that task Thursday morning when he signed Willie Young to a three-year, $9 million contract...

The draft will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday in New York. Times NFL writer Sam Farmer examines team needs by division. Today, the West divisions:
AFC West
Now that they have their quarterback in Alex Smith, the Kansas City Chiefs need someone to...